


At the Gates of the Dark Forest

by imaginary_golux



Category: Redwall Series - Brian Jacques
Genre: Bittersweet, Canonical Character Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-04-08 03:11:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4288503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginary_golux/pseuds/imaginary_golux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin is old and weary and ready to lay down his burdens...but there is always a choice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At the Gates of the Dark Forest

Boar the Fighter is waiting for Martin at the gates of the Dark Forest. Martin goes to his old friend with a cry of joy, and embraces him; Boar nearly lifts Martin off the ground with the exuberance of his greeting. They are both young, here, with their battlescars faded to nothing, the grey fur on Martin’s muzzle turned again to the brown of his youth, and Martin grins as he looks Boar up and down, seeing the uncharacteristic joy and relaxation on the badger’s face.

“Be welcome, Martin, Warrior of Redwall,” Boar says. “Lay down past cares; come, and be at peace.”

“I thank you,” Martin says sincerely. Already he is hoping that behind those gates – still closed – there are those who he has mourned for all his life.

“There are many waiting for you,” Boar says, confirming all of Martin’s hopes, “and yet – stay a while, if you will, and I would offer you a choice.”

“A choice?” Martin asks, suddenly worried.

“Regardless of your choice, fear not,” Boar assures him. “We will go on into the Forest, and those who await you will welcome you with open arms. But hear me. Even as my own ancestors’ bones gave me strength and wisdom in my time, so now do I wait for my own successors, should they need my aid. And if you so desire, Warrior of Redwall, the sword I made you will bind you to the walls of your Abbey, that when those who need you call upon you, you may answer and be heard.”

Martin thinks about it. He has long since laid down his sword, abandoned war in favor of the long years of peace, but there will be war again, he knows it. There are too many vermin in the world to keep the Abbey forever safe. Someday, some young beast will lift his sword again, in hope and fear and love and rage, and likely that one will know nothing of the arts of war.

Yet there is peace behind the gates of the Dark Forest, and those who love him. He need never go to war again. He could lay down his sword forever, and forget.

“Tell me how to bind myself to my sword, then,” he says steadily. “I will be the Warrior of Redwall until the last stone has fallen from its mate.”

Boar smiles at him. “That you have accepted is enough; and should you ever so desire, you may lay down your bindings as easily. There is always a choice, my friend. But now – come. There are those who will not thank me for keeping you so long.”

And the gates swing open, and Martin steps forward, and there is Laterose waiting, laughing, crying with joy, and as he steps between the gates he finds, at last, he has found peace.


End file.
